Caulfield Cup 2015: 2400 Metres Too Short For Fame Game

Jockey Zac Purton has revealed that he believes that 2400 metres of the 2015 Caulfield Cup could be too short for Fame Game after he rode the Japanese stayer in track work at Werribee this morning.

Zac Purton is chasing his second straight win in the Caulfield Cup after he steered Admire Rakti to victory in the race last year. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Fame Game has been towards the top of Caulfield Cup betting markets since connections confirmed that he would head to Australia to contest the race, but Purton is of the opinion that the son of Heart’s Cry may already be looking for the 3200 metres of the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).

Purton flew to Melbourne yesterday after riding at Sha Tin on Saturday and he was happy with the feel that he received from the horse, but he told the assembled media that the five-year-old will need there to be plenty of early pace to win the Caulfield Cup this weekend.

“Unless they go at a ridiculous pace I can’t see him getting that warm,” Purton said.

“I think he will run a good race, but it depends on the tempo of the race.

“His style is to get back and we are going to need them to go hard.

“He is going to need a lot of things to fall into place.

“He is a really good horse and he may have the ability to win the Caulfield Cup and if the race is run to suit he is still going to get his chance.”

Fame Game won over 2000 metres as a younger horse and he took out the Group 2 The Copa Republic Argentina over 2500 metres last year, but Purton is of the opinion that Fame Game is at his best when he gets up to 3200 metres and beyond.

The same argument was made about Admire Rakti last year before Purton steered him to victory in the Caulfield Cup, but Purton believes that Fame Game is a dourer stayer than Admire Rakti.

“Admire Rakti had better form at a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half whereas this guy really doesn’t get warm until he gets past 3200 (metres),” Purton said.

“He has good form at 3800 and 4000 metres, so this (the Caulfield Cup) is on the short side if anything.”

Fame Game has not been seen at the races since he flew home late to finish second behind Gold Ship in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (3200m) in May and he has never previously recorded a first-up victory.

Mongolian Khan has leapfrogged Fame Game on top of the 2015 Caulfield Cup betting market with Ladbrokes and the Japanese stayer is now available at Caulfield Cup odds of $8 with the leading online bookmaker, which is offering best tote or SP +20& on every single race at Caulfield on Saturday.

Author: Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.